Do I really need to tell you to order anymore?

This week we are looking at more transport. I don’t really know how to categorise this. It’s one of those “Is it a bird? Is it a plane” moments, except the questions are “Is it a train? Is it a bus?”

It’s a bus, but it follows a preset tracks lines. There is no driver and it’s modular, so you could add on several carriages. You could technically categorise it as a train or a tram – except it doesn’t follow physical metal rail lines. Instead it rolls on tarmac road along painted white lines.

You know what it reminds me of? Those guided tour trains/bus that you sometimes find in zoos and parks.

The train/bus is equipped with sensors that’ll allow it to follow white-dotted lines on the road. The 30 metre long bus is able to fit 300 passengers across three carriages. More carriages can be added or removed if needed.

Now you see my dilemma of calling it bus or train or tram?

This form of transport is unveiled in China, and the makers – the Chinese rail transit firm CRRC, is calling it a “smart bus”. The official name is Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), and it’s supposed to be much cheaper than subway or tram systems, since it doesn’t require infrastructure to be laid down. Which also means, it’s less intrusive as building the MRT lines in KL, clogging the city with roadworks creating more jam in the short term.

Chinese state media Xinhua reports that It costs up to $102 million to build a kilometre of a subway track, as compared to about $2 million for a standard length ART bus.

Feng Jianghua, chief engineer of the institute, said “It is like having a virtual rail for the bus.”

A 6.5km ART line will be built in the Chinese city of Zhuzhou, with operations starting in 2018.

Its an interesting technology – and also partly contributing to the ongoing developments for autonomous vehicles. Perhaps this is truly the first step?

Till next time.